Cigarette dispenser and lighter



July 3, 1962 H. K. DOUGHERTY 3,042,253

CIGARETTE DISPENSER AND LIGHTER Filed Oct. 27, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I.

HOWARD K. DOUGHERTY INVENTOR.

KENDRICK, SCHRAMM 8| STOLZY ATTORNEYS July 3, 1962 H. K. DOUGHERTY CIGARETTE DISPENSER AND LIGHTER Filed Oct. 27, 1960 FIG.2.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 R 3 co LI... K:

HOWARD K. DOUGHERTY INVENTOR.

KENDRICK,SCHRAMM 8 STOLZ'Y ATTORNIEYS United States Patent 6 i 3,042,253 CIGARETTE DISPENSER AND LIGHTER Howard K. Daugherty, 3906 E. 57th St., Maywood, Calif. Filed Oct. 27, 1960, Ser. No. 65,336 6 Claims. (Cl. 221-145) This invention relates to ignition devices, and more particularly to an automatic cigarette lighter having a compact magazine for cigarettes and an igniting mechanism requiring evacuation means such as an exhaust fan as its only moving part.

An object of this invention is to provide an automatic lighter for cigarettes or other similar objects, relatively small in size, which requires few uncomplicated component parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for storage of a number of cigarettes in a comparatively small magazine, which cigarettes can be individually selected, positioned for ignition and dispensed for use.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means for positioning cigarettes or other similar objects, through the use of differential air pressures, as opposed to rigid contacting mechanical means, and thereby produce a reliable device which manipulates the cigarettes delicately.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide means for storing, igniting and dispensing a cigarette in which the only moving part in the device is an exhaust fan or similar air evacuating means of conventional and uncomplicated construction.

Other objects and advantageous features of this invention will be evident from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, which are to be regarded as merely illustrative:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the cigarette lighter of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the cigarette lighter taken on the line 2-2 shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is another longitudinal sectional view of the lighter taken on the line 3-3 shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the evacuation means employed with the invention taken on the line 4-4 shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is another transverse sectional view of the lighter taken on the line 5-5 shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is still another transverse sectional view of the lighter taken on the lines 6-6 shown in FIG. 2.

In the drawing in FIG. 1, the automatic cigarette lighter of the present invention is indicated generally at 10 having a base 11 to which are cemented three foam rubber strips 12, 13 and 14 to minimize transmission of vibration from table v1-1 to any body on which the lighter 10 may be placed.

Base 11 has four superstructures mounted upon it, the first being indicated at 15 in FIG. 1 fixed both to base 11 and to an end cover 16 for the lighter 10. It is to be noted that each and every component part of the lighter 10 may be made of conventional materials such as plastic, metal or wood, metal being employed in the particular embodiment shown, the metal parts being assembled by soldering. This is true of all the materials of the lighter 10, of course with the exception of the obvious insulation need with an electric motor indicated generally at 17 in both FIGS. 1 and 2 and the insulation necessary for the wiring in FIG. 2 and the construction materials of a heating element indicated at 18 in FIG. 2 inside of end cover 16. It is to be noted that heating element 18 is entirely conventional, heating element 18 employing a mica strip 19 simply to prevent the heating coils thereof from coming into direct contact with a cigarette when in 3,li42,253 Patented July 3, 1962 2 position to be lighted as indicated at a cigarette 20 in FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, a trough 21 is also provided that is fixed to base 11 at a support 22. Trough 21 receives lighted cigarette 20 because when, as will be explained hereinafter, motor 17 is de-energized to stop an exhaust fan 23 shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, cigarette 20 will drop vertically from its central position inside of a magazine indicated at 24 in FIGS. 1 and 2 onto trough 21, clearance being provided therefor directly below cigarette 20 as indicated in FIG. 5.

Motor 17 is an electric motor and has a common output shaft with fan 23. It will be noted from the use of the common reference numeral 28 for the shaft of electric motor assembly 17 and exhaust fan 23 in all of FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, that the same is, in fact, common. The housing of electric motor 17 and fan 2-3 rests upon a supporting block 25 immediately in back of which a double-pole, doublet-brow switch 26 is provided to turn a timer 27 on as shown in FIG. 2 to energize electric motor 17 and heating element 18 simultaneously for a predetermined length of time.

In FIG. 1, a cover 29 also can be seen which may be operated by a knob 39, cover 29 being provided with a spring-clip 31 to retain it yieldingly in the position best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5. Cover 29 is maintained in the position illustnated in FIGS. 1 and 5 at all times during operation of the cigarette lighter, cover 29 being opened by rotation thereof about a horizontal axis through a hinge indicated at 32 in FIG. 5 to expose a slot 33 in an outer wall 34 of cigarette magazine 24 into which cigarettes may be deposited to fill an annular space 35 between concentric cylinders comprising the wall 34 which is an outer wall, and an inner wall 36. Cigarettes as indicated at 37 and 38 may be deposited on each side of the magazine 24 in the annular space 35, as indicated in FIG. 5.

Air deflectors are provided on opposite sides of lighter 10 as indicated at 39 and '40 in FIG. 1. A vertical fin, solely for appearance sake, is provided at 41 on the housing of electric motor 17 and exhaust fan 23 as shown in FIG. 1. It is to be noted that deflectors 39 and 40 cover holes 43 and 44 through a housing 42 but are spaced radially outwardly from the housing of exhaust fan 23 to provide free and open communication from the interior of the housing of exhaust fan 23 as indicated at 42 in FIG. 3 through holes 43 and 44 through the housing 42 as shown in FIG. 3.

An important function of the invention resides in the construction of inner wall 36 of magazine 24 having a row of slots, the slots of the row being indicated at 45, 46 and 47 in FIG. 2, slot 46 being indicated in FIG. 5. Generally this function is performed by the withdrawal of air from annular space 35 through the slots 45, 46 and 47 into the interior of inner wall 36, air being permitted to enter perforate means or a slot 48 inouter wall 34 as indicated at the lower right-hand corner of FIG. 5, slots 48 being spaced from each other by means of dividers 49 to retain cigarettes '38 in in annular space 35 and to prevent them from falling downwardly and outwardly there of as viewed in FIG. 5. Thus, air entering slots 48 will cause one or more of the cigarettes 38 to roll or rotate in the direction of an arrow 50 which also indicates the direction of the movement of air in the annular space 35 to a position, for example, as illustrated by the position of a cigarette 51 in FIG. 5. It will be appreciated that by this mechanism, annular space 35 may be completely filled with cigarettes, and cigarettes, even to the last one of the cigarettes 38, will be drawn counter-clockwise as viewed in FIG. 5 to feed all of them to the igniting mechanism as will be explained subsequently.

Another outstanding feature of the invention relates to the use of an inverted U-shaped channel indicated at 52 in all of FIGS. 2, 3, 5 and 6. As best shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, the U-shaped channel 52 is provided with a row of slots 53 on each side thereof, a pair of oppositely disposed slots 53A and 53B being shown in FIG. 5. As will be explained subseqeuntly, air is withdrawn from channel 52 both at its left end as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3 and outwardly of slots 53 into the space between channel 52 and inner wall 36. The withdrawal of air from channel 52 is produced by exhaust fan 23 in a manner to be explained subsequently, suffice it to say at this point that such withdrawal of air not only tends to levitate or lift cigarette 20 to the vertical position shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, but also to cause it to bear against mica strip 19 on the heating element 18 to ignite its left end as viewed in both FIGS. 2 and 3. In this manner cigarette 2%) is lifted from the position of cigarette 54 as shown in FIG. 5 which rests on hooks 55 that are fixed to the left edge of outer wall 34 as viewed in FIG. 5.

Depending upon the size and capacity of the motor 17 and exhaust fan 23, it may be desirable to space the lower left edge of channel 52 indicated at 56 from the lower left-hand edge 57 of inner wall 36 so that air may be withdrawn into the space between channel 52 and inner wall 36 through this opening from below channel 52 over cigarette 54. This is desirable in order to keep cigarette 54 in position on hooks 55 and prevent air which travels upwardly in channel 52 and outwardly of slots 53 from drawing unlighted cigarette 54 over the ends of hooks 55 and dropping the same into trough 21 while cigarette 20 is being ignited.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the cigarette lighter of the present invention may be operated as follows. Cover 29 may be opened and magazine 24 loaded by placing cigarettes longitudinally the annular space 35 between inner and outer walls 36 and 34, respectively, to completely fill that space. As cigarettes are lighted by the lighter of the invention, cigarettes from the right-hand side of the annular space 35 as viewed in FIG. 5 are then drawn over to the left-hand side by the withdrawal of air from annular space 35 through slots 45, 46 and 47, air entering annular space 35 through slots 45 to lift cigarettes counterclockwise therearound as shown in FIG. 5. Air is in fact withdrawn from annular space 35 through slots 45, 46 and 4-7 for the reason that motor 17 and heating element '18 are operated simultaneously for a predetermined period of time and then automatically turned off, exhaust fan 23 being operated simultaneously therewith in that it is driven by motor 17. When fan 23 is operated, air is withdrawn from the space between inner wall 36 and channel 52, at the right end thereof as viewed in FIG. 3 and as indicated at arrows 58. Air enters the space between inner wall 36 and channel 52 at the left end thereof as indicated at 61 in FIG. 3; through slots at 53 as indicated by 60 in FIG. 3; through slots at 45, 46 and 47 shown in FIG. 2 and KG. 5; and through the opening between the lower left edge of channel 52 indicated at 56 and the left hand edge of inner wall 36 at 57. The space between inner wall 86 and channel 52. is evacuated through an annular opening 59 to the exhaust fan 23.

At the same time that air is drawn through opening 59 at the right end of inner and outer walls 36 and 34, re-

spectively, as shown in FIG. 3, air is also drawn upwardly in inverted U-shaped channel 52 and outwardly through slots 53 as indicated by arrows 69 from the space be tween U--shaped channel 52 and inner wall 36 air is further exhausted in'the direction of arrows 58 as explained previously. The withdrawal of air through slots 53 causes cigarette 26 to be lifted from hooks 55 to the position shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5. However, the exhaust fan also draws air from the inside of channel 52 to the left as viewed in FIG. 3 as well as outwardly of slots 5-3. This is true because air flows in the direction of arrows 61 as viewed FIG. 3v outwardly of the left end of channel 52 and inwardly into the space between channel 52 and inner wall 36, heating element 13 being spaced to the left from the left ends of inner and outer walls 36 and 34, respectively, for this purpose. This means that the air moving in the direction of arrows 61 tend to draw cigarette 20 to the left as viewed in FIG. 3 and therefore in contact with mica strip 19 on heating element 18.

As stated previously, timer 27 automatically turns the motor 17 and heating element off simultaneously after a predetermined length of time sufiicient to cause the left end of cigarette 20 to become ignited. When motor 17 is turned off, exhaust fan 23 no longer operates and cigarette 20 is no longer levitated to the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. In this case, cigarette 2G falls downwardly as indicated by arrow 62 in FIG. 5 onto trough 21 and rolls downwardly to the bottom of the trough 21 and rests there.

When exhaust fan 23 is placed in operation, a low pressure area is produced in channel 52. This low pressure area causes air coming into channel 52 to lift cigarette 54 off hooks 55 and move it to position 20 where it is ignited. Because of the small size of hooks 55 and their position on the outer wall 24, air is allowed to pass on both sides of cigarette 54 lifting into position 20.

When substantially all of the cigarettes have been utilized that were stored on the left hand side of annular space 35 indicated in FIG. 5 by gravity feed to hooks 55, a differential pressure will be created in annular space 35 when exhaust fan 23 is operated. This differential pressure created by the relative size ofslot 48 and slots 45, 46 and 47 will cause at least one cigarette remaining on the right side of annular space 3 5 in FIG. 5, to move counterclockwise in direction 50 overcoming gravity forces and to be positioned on the left side of inner wall 36. When exhaust fan 23 is oflf on the completion of the ignition cycle, the cigarette will fall by gravity into position 54 on hooks 55. The fact, that some cigarettes located at position 37 may tend to rotate clockwise opposite to direction 50 when annular space 35 is full of cigarettes, will have no effect on the successful operation of this invention so long as one cigarette is on hooks at the beginning of the operation cycle. Any cigarette on hooks 55 will not tend to rotate clockwise because, as stated previously, air is allowed to pass on both sides of that cigarette and the preponderance of force is in a direction toward the slots 53.

In addition, note will be taken that gravity will tend to keep cigarette 51 on the lower side of slots 45, 46 and 47 which means that air entering these slots will tend to rotate at least the top cigarette 33 to the position thereof. Any cigarette at the position of slot 46 will of course fall to the position on hooks 55 whenever fan 23 is turned off. Note will also be taken that the fact that air is drawn through the space between the edges 56 and 57 of members 36 and 52 likewise draws cigarettes in the space between edge 56 and slots 45, 46 and 47 downwardly toward that space while the air drawn through slots 45, 46, and 47 tend to raise cigarettes in that space. The same therefore may be in effect counterbalanced. Cigarette 54 raises to the position of cigarette 20 rather than to cover the slot between the edges 56 and 57 for two reasons. In the first place, the cigarette immediately above cigarette 54 would tend to cover the space between edges 56 and 57. In addition, the number and size of slots 53 is such that a greater force to levitate cigarette 54 to the position of cigarette 20 exists than it does to'move cigarette 54 to a position covering the space between edges 56 and 57 of members 52 and 36 respectively. Moreover, note will be taken that the edge 56 of member 52 is bent to the left as shown in FIG. 5 whereby levitation to cigarette 54 vertically will cause it to touch edge 56 and with perhaps even an absence of preponderance of force in that direction will cause cigarette 54 to roll up the left side of member 52 to the position of cigarette 20.

Although only one specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, many changes and modifications will, of course, suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. The invention is therefore not to be limited to the embodiment illustrated and described, the true scope thereof being defined only in the appended claims.

What is claimed is;

1. A cigarette magazine comprising: a substantially cylindrical body supported with its axis horizontal and having substantially concentric cylindrical inner and outer walls mounted in spaced relation to hold cigarettes in an annular space defined therebetween, each of said walls having an opening along its length at the bottom thereof defined between a pair of bottom edges thereof, said outer wall having a longitudinal slot therethrough substantially at the topmost portion thereof; a cover over said slot removable for loading cigarettes through said slot into said annular space; said inner wall having a longitudinal opening therethrough in the upper half thereof spaced to one side of said body through the topmost portion of said inner wall; perforate means fixed with the edge of said outer wall on the side of said body opposite said one side to prevent cigarettes loaded in said annular space from falling outwardly thereof while permitting air to enter said annular space; means fixed with the edge of said outer wall on said one side of said body to prevent cigarettes loaded in said annular space from falling outwardly thereof; and means to withdraw air from said annular space through the longitudinal opening in said inner Wall in the space inside of said inner wall, whereby air will enter said annular space through said perforate means and move cigarettes around therein from said other side to said one side of said body.

2. A cigarette lighter comprising: a substantially cylindrical body supported with its axis horizontal and having substantially concentric cylindrical inner and outer walls mounted in spaced relation to hold cigarettes in an annular space defined therebetween, each of said Walls having an opening along its length at the bottom thereof defined between a pair of bottom edges thereof, said outer wall having a longitudinal slot therethrough substantially at the topmost portion thereof; a cover over said slot removable for loading cigarettes through said slot into said annular space; said inner wall having a longitudinal open ing therethrough in the upper half thereof spaced to one side of said body through the topmost portion of said inner wall; perforate means fixed with the edge of said outer wall on the side of said body opposite said one side to prevent cigarettes loaded in said annular space from falling outwardly thereof while permitting air to enter said annular space; hook means fixed with the edge of said outer wall on said one side of said body to prevent cigarettes loaded in said annular space from falling outwardly thereof; an inverted approximately U-shaped channel mounted in spaced relation to and in said inner wall, said channel having perforations through the sides thereof; a heating element positioned at one end of said channel; and evacuation means to withdraw air from said annular space through the longitudinal opening in said inner wall into the space between said channel and said inner wall and from said one end of said channel, whereby air will enter said annular space through said perforate means and move cigarettes around therein from said other side to said one side of said body, and whereby air will be drawn through said channel perforations into the space between said channel and said inner wall and longitudinally along and outwardly of said one end of said channel (1) to lift a cigarette from said hook means, (2) to levitate said cigarette inside said channel and (3) to hold one end of said cigarette in contact with said heating element.

3. A cigarette lighter comprising: a substantially cylindrical body supported with its axis horizontal and having substantially concentric cylindrical inner and outer walls mounted in spaced relation to hold cigarettes in an annular space defined therebetween, each of said walls having an opening along its length at the bottom thereof defined between a pair of bottom edgesthereof, said outer wall having a longitudinal slot therethrough substantially at the topmost portion thereof; a cover over said slot removable for loading cigarettes through said slot into said annular space; said inner wall having a longitudinal opening therethrough in the upper half thereof spaced to one side of said body through the topmost portion of said inner wall; perforate means fixed with the edge of said outer wall on the side of said body opposite said one side to prevent cigarettes loaded in said annular space from falling outwardly thereof while permitting air to enter said annular space; hook means fixed with the edge of said outer wall on said one side of said body to prevent cigarettes loaded in said annular space from falling outwardly thereof; an inverted approximately U-shaped channel mounted in spaced relation to and in said inner wall, said channel having perforations through the sides thereof; a heating element positioned at one end of said channel; evacuation means to withdraw air from said annular space through the longitudinal opening in said inner wall into the space between said channel and said inner wall and from said one end of said channel, whereby air will enter said annular space through said perforate means and move cigarettes around therein from. said other side to said one side of said body, and whereby air will be drawn through said channel perforations into the space between said channel and said inner wall and longitudinally along and outwardly of said one end of said channel (1) to lift a cigarette from said hook means, (2) to levitate said cigarette inside said channel and (3) to hold one end of said cigarette in contact with said heating element; and means to energize said evacuation means and said heating element simultaneously for a predetermined length of time.

4. A cigarette lighter comprising: a substantially cylindrical body supported with its axis horizontal and having substantially concentric cylindrical inner and outer walls mounted in spaced relation to hold cigarettes in an annular space defined therebetween, each of said walls having an opening along its length at the bottom thereof defined between a pair of bottom edges thereof, said outer wall having a longitudinal slot therethrough substantially at the topmost portion thereof; a cover over said slot removable for loading cigarettes through said slot into said annular space; said inner wall having a longitudinal opening therethrough in the upper half thereof spaced to one side of said body through the topmost portion of said inner wall; perforate means fixed with the edge of said outer wall on the side of said body opposite said one side to prevent cigarettes loaded in said annular space from falling outwardly thereof while permitting air to enter said annular space; hook means fixed with the edge of said outer wall on said one side of said body to prevent cigarettes loaded in said annular space from falling outwardly thereof; an inverted approximately U-shaped channel mounted in spaced relation to and in said inner wall, said channel having perforations through the sides thereof; a heating element mounted in a position spaced from one end of said channel in said inner and outer walls; closure means to fit between said inner and outer walls at the ends thereof opposite said one end; an end cover fixed to said one end of said outer wall to enclose said heating element therein; and means to withdraw air from the space between said channel and said inner wall at said opposite ends thereof, whereby air will enter said annular space through said perforate means and move cigarettes around therein from said other side to said one side of said body, and whereby air will be drawn through said channel perforations into the space between said channel and said inner wall and longitudinally along and outwardly of said channel (1) to lift a cigarette from said hook means, (2.) to levitate said cigarette inside said channel, and (3) to hold one end of said cigarette in contact with said heating element.

5. A cigarette lighter comprising: a substantially cylinspa-2,253

7 drical body supported with its axis horizontal and having substantially concentric cylindrical inner and outer walls mounted in spaced relation to hold cigarettes in an annular space defined therebetween, each of said walls having an opening along its length at the bottom thereof defined between a pair of bottom edges thereof, said outer wall having a longitudinal slot therethrough substantially at the topmost portion thereof; a cover over said slot removable for loading cigarettes through said slot into said annular space; said inner wall having a longitudinal opening therethrough in the upper half thereof spaced to one side of said body through the topmost portion of said inner wall; perforate means fixed with the edge of said outer wall on the side of said body opposite said one side to prevent cigarettes loaded in said annular space from falling outwardly thereof While permitting air to enter said annular space; hook means fixed with the edge of said outer wall on said one side of said body to prevent cigarettes loaded in said annular space from falling outwardly thereof; an inverted approximately U-shaped channel mounted in spaced relation to and in said inner wall, said channel having perforations through the sides thereof; a heating element mounted in a position spaced from one end of said channel and said inner and outer walls; closure means to fit between said inner and outer walls at the ends thereof opposite said one end; an end cover fixed to said one end of said outer wall to enclose said heating element therein; evacuation means to withdraw air from the space between said channel and said inner wall at said opposite ends thereof, whereby air will enter said annular space through said perforate means and move cigarettes around therein from said other side to said one side of said body, and whereby air will be drawn through said channel perforations into the space between said channel and said inner Wall and longitudinally along and outwardly of said one end of said channel (1) to lift a cigarette from said hook means, (2) to levitate said cigarette inside said channel, and (3) to hold one end of said cigarette in contact with said heating element; means to energize said evacuation means and said heating element simultaneously for a predetermined length of time; said hook means being positioned on one side of said channel; and a trough extending longitudinally along and directly below said channel to receive a lighted cigarette when said evacuation means is de-energized.

6. A cigarette lighter comprising: an inverted U-shaped channel having perforations through the sides thereof; a heating element positioned at one end of said channel; and means to draw air from inside of said channel through said one end thereof and through said perforations both (1) to hold a cigarette in contact with said heating element, and (2) to levitate said cigarette at a position between the sides of said channel at the position of said perforations through the sides thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,243,889 Shively June 3, 1941 

